World Toast, Global Cheer.

It ocurred to me that a lot of times we get together as friends and family over a drink.  Whether is wine, beer, coffee or tea, we sit, we chat, we get together.
Today, thanks to technology we are all a click away from chatting with people we might or might not know around the world, we share ideas, pictures, news.  So it seems to me is a natural thing to have a World toast, to bring Global Cheer into our lives.  It might be a way to get to understand each other a bit better, across cultures, borders and languages.  Or it might just be an excuse to get sloshed. Either way, let´s get together.
Our global forum will be twitter (www.twitter.com) An easy way to get together will be using a hash tag, everything related with the world toast will be tweeted using the hash tag #worldtoast and it will appear on red in the tweets.  By clicking there you will be taken to the global conversation.
If you are away from the net, just remember to cheer, chat and meet others on Saturday night. Many others around the word will be doing the same.
Saturday is a day most people are off but I also keep in mind that in some parts of the world it will be Sunday morning.  So you don´t have to be chugging beers at 7am, the idea is just to get together over your drink of choice, whether is wine or coffee.
This World Toast will happen between Saturday eve, August 28th and Sunday morning, August 29th, depending on where you are in the world.  So look at the map and see where you are and what time it is for you and join us.
Here´s a TIME ZONES map, to help us get together at the same time. http://www.worldtimezone.com/Here´s more info:
http://ow.ly/2sc3O
WORLD TOAST: A movement of Happiness and Forward thinking! 
08.23.10 - UPDATE: So far people in many states in the United States, Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, New Zealand, Australia, France, England, Sweeden, Netherlands, China, Japan, Mexico, Spain, and counting are joining us, be the next!

Dinner & a Movie

So this is a new thing I will be adding to my blog.  Once a week, either Sunday or Monday I will recommend a movie and a recipe to go with it.
I have this passion for film and specially for those little gems that sometimes don't make it to main stream and should not be missed in my opinion.
This week I would like to recommend a Swedish film.  It is intense, deals with those teenage years and all that happens when we try to belong, sometimes going to extreme measures to do so.  It will make you laugh and at time it will make you cringe in pain for the main character.  I think it's a great exercise on how we can loose friends and gain friends, both for wrong reasons.
This 2004 film is "The Ketchup Effect" Rent it, check it, tell me what you think of it.

Now what to have for dinner with it?  I'd say something easy and light.
How about a spinach salad with Balsamic reduction and blue cheese.
So grab some spinach, wash them and out them in a bowl.  Then if you don't have balsamic reduction just put some balsamic vinegar in a small pot and get it to boil.  Then reduce heat and let it simmer.  Keep an eye out as it will thicken fast.  Once is thicker (not like honey but almost) take of the stove and let it cool.
In the bowl with the spinach add some raisins and nuts.  Mix together.  Serve on a plate, drizzle with the balsamic reduction and sprinkle with blue cheese crumbles. You are done!
I recommend a good Sauvignon Blanc to go with it, specially from New Zealand.  Try the Dog Point.
There you have it, dinner and a movie.